April 10, 2013 NYC Light Brigade debut

Modelled after Wisconsin’s activist art project the Overpass Light Brigade, and in solidarity with other light crews around the country, NYC formed its own activist light crew comprised of members from the People’s Puppets of Occupy Wall Street art collective.  April 10 was picked to debut the Tax Evaders online video game http://www.taxevaders.net with solidarity light actions around the country in Milwaukee, San Francisco, Baltimore and other cities.

Building the necessary letters took an entire weekend.  Some technical problems were encountered along the way, namely participants first time handling of led string lights and scant knowledge of electronic circuitry, but these problems were quickly solved and the remaining letters were built in time.

Assembling near their first target that evening, “holders of the light” quickly lined up and rehearsed. As if to test the resolve of the participants, it rained, and continued to rain throughout the night, but nobody gave up.

At Goldman Sachs, security caught wind of the impending action but tensions were diffused and the project continued without incident. the reflection of the lettering on the rain soaked pavement

At Union Square, the NYC Light Brigade joined up with the Illuminator 99% mobile projection unit projecting the Tax Evaders video game on the walls of Chase Bank.  passerby’ers stopped to play the game on a Wii remote controller while media snapped images.

One of the photographers, and an Overpass Light Brigade original, Jenna Pope playing the game.

After Union Square, the group headed to Chase Bank, across from Radio City Music Hall for a rain-soaked photo op before planning their move on the GE building at Rockefeller Center.  The group advanced quickly and setup.  When security and police did arrive, tensions were diffused as permission was asked to spend an extra two minutes finishing up the photoshoot.

As rain continued to fall, and many already gone home for the night, the remaining crew opted for one last photo, in front of Rockefeller Center with the GE Building in the background.